citizen or freeman, and who has a right to
vote for public officers, as a citizen of the United States."

Turn to Bouvier's Law Dictionary, in orthodox sheep skin, and see
what he says a citizen is: "Citizen, one who, under the
Constitution and laws of the United States has a right to vote
for representatives in Congress and other public offices, and who
is qualified to fill offices in the gift of the people."--4th
ed., vol. 1, p. 221.

All known authority concurs in establishing this as the sole,
proper signification of the word citizen; and in this sense, and
in no other, is it used in the XIV. Amendment. I know that the
term is sometimes used--is once used, perhaps, in the
Constitution--to correspond somewhat with the term "inhabitant,"
as thus, "citizens of different States may sue each other in the
courts of the United States," etc. But it was not necessary to
shake the foundations of this great Republic, to formulate and
get adopted this new amendment, for the purpose of stating that
the people who were born and always had lived in the United
States might be inhabitants of them. But it was necessary to say
so, that cavaliers might be estopped from denying that they are
citizens.

But to recur to the further clause of this XIV. Amendment. Let us
see, now, really what the makers and promulgators of it did mean.
"No State shall make or enforce any law"--neither make any new
law, nor enforce any that had already been made--"which shall
abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United
States." Is there any doubt now as to what "citizen" means? He,
or she, or both, are persons in possession, and have by express
declaration all the privileges and the immunities of citizens.

When I stated this before the Judiciary Committee this morning, a
distinguished Representative from Illinois, and a very able
lawyer, stopped me and said, "Mr. Riddle, babies would be
citizens according to that, and would have the privilege of going
straight to the ballot-box, the first thing." (Laughter.) Perhaps
so; but I could not see it then, and can not see it now. All
power is inherent in the people, and it is perfectly competent
for this "all power" to declare at what age and under what
circumstances the citizen shall vote; so that the rule ap